Rotor lock out



Dec. 19, 1967 E. PARR ROTOR LOCK OUT Filed Oct. 18, 1965 INVENTOR.

EDWARD L. FARE FZ/L WADEE, 7 /1770, PIA BEE, LEEfZ/THI/T United States Patent 3,358,482 ROTOR LOCK OUT Edward L. Parr, El Cajon, Calif., assignor to Wendel! L.

. Thompson, Burbank, Calif.

Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,065 2 Claims. (Cl. 70-255) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Rotor lock out for an ignition system in which the engine drive shaft is provided with a flat surface on the periphery thereof; a shaft for rotating the rotor is disposed above the engine drive shaft and it is provided with a like fiat surface; a collar surrounds both shafts and is provided with a flat surface on the interior thereof which complements the surfaces on the shafts. The collar is movable axially for engaging and disengaging the collar from the engine drive shaft.

The present invention relates generally to a device for rendering an automobile theft proof and more specifically to a device for disengaging the rotor of an internal combustion engine from its drive shaft.

The device essentially comprises a shaft, in alignment with the engine drive shaft and the rotor. The peripheries of both shafts are irregular and the shafts are maintained in axial alignment by an embracing collar, the interior wall of which complements said peripheral irregularities. The collar is shiftable axially into and from engagement with the drive shaft. A cable, extending through a hardened sheaf, is connected on one end to the collar and on the other, to a lock, which lock receives a key to oscillate the cable thereby effecting shifting of the collar into and from engagement with the drive shaft.

Further features and the advantages will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the device of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the lower cup of a time distributor housing is shown at 11 and is preferably of the cylindrical type such as is well known to those skilled in the art, and may be of the type shown in the Elsey et al. Patent No. 1,722,327. A drive shaft 13 extends through an opening in the bottom of the cup and is powered by the engine (not shown), all as disclosed in the aforementioned Elsey et al. patent.

The drive shaft 13 is preferably of circular cross section and includes a. longitudinally extending irregular peripheral surface such as flat surface 15 on the periphery. A communicating shaft 17 is adapted to transmit the rotational movement of the drive shaft 13 to the rotor 19. Shaft 15 preferably includes an irregular peripheral surface, such as flat surface 21, similar to that included in the drive shaft 13, extending throughout its length. The fiat surface 21, near the upper end of the shaft 17, is adapted to complement a similar flat surface in the rotor 19 to impart rotation to the rotor.

A collar 23 includes a bore of slightly larger diameter than the above described shafts to provide a slip fit therebetween. The collar 23 preferably includes a flat surface 25 adapted to complement the flat surfaces included in the shafts 13 and 19, respectively, to prevent relative rotational movement between the shafts when the collar is moved into position about both shafts with its ineluded flat surface lying alongside those flat surfaces of the shafts.

In the preferred embodiment, the collar 23 includes a radially extending flange 27. A pivotally mounted member 29 includes jaws 31 that are adapted to extend freely about the periphery of the flange and to impart movement thereto upon rotation of the pivotal member. Said pivotal member is preferably carried on a torque cable 33 which extends freely rotatable through support members 35 and 37. These support members 35 and 37 are disposed in and fixed to the side wall of housing 11. A set screw 39 is threaded into the pivotal member 29 and is adapted to be urged against the torque cable 33 thus assuring that rotational movement of the torque cable will impart rotational movement to the pivotal membet.

The torque cable 33 preferably extends through a sheaf 41 of hardened steel to prevent severance of the cable by ordinary means. The free end of the cable 33 includes a lock assembly 43, which assembly is adapted to be actuated by a key 45, as is well known to those skilled in the art. The key 45 itself is in direct communication with the torque cable 33. Thus, the key assembly 43 can be mounted in the dash board of a boat or automobile, or the like, and the rotor can be disengaged from the drive shaft by merely inserting the key and rotating it to cause the pivotal member 29 to act on the collar 23. The words hardened sheaf as used herein, contemplate a sheaf that cannot be cut by a common hand operated saw or pliers.

Rotation of the key 45 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, causes clockwise rotation of the pivotal member 29, as viewed in FIG. 2. The lower jaw 31 of member 29 engages the radial flange 27 and urges the collar 23 upwardly. This upward movement of the collar 23 is sufficient to disengage the flat surface 15 from the co-operating fiat surface 21 but is limited to prevent the collar 23 from fully disengaging the drive shaft 13. In the preferred embodiment the interior wall of the lower portion 47 of the collar describes a circle and the regular portion 47 of the cross section of the extending end 49 of the drive shaft 13 is circular and is somewhat greater than a half circle. These features permit the drive shaft to furnish axial guidance to the collar without imparting rotation thereto when the cooperating flat surfaces 15 and 17, respectively, have been disengaged and the collar 23 has remained partially engaged with the drive shaft 13.

While the form of embodiment herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms may be adopted falling within the scope of the claims that follow.

I claim:

1. A device for rendering the ignition system of an internal combustion engine inoperative, which ignition system includes a distributor housing, a rotor within the housing, and a vertically extending engine drive shaft for driving the rotor, said shaft having a flat surface on the periphery thereof, said flat surface extending longitudinally to the upper end thereof, the device comprising in combination:

(A) a shaft for rotating said rotor, said shaft being supported on the upper end of the engine drive shaft and having a flat surface like that on the engine drive shaft and aligned with the flat surface on the engine drive shaft;

(B) a collar surrounding both shafts, said collar having an interior fiat surface complementing the flat surfaces on the shafts, said flat surface on the collar providing the driving connection between the engine drive shaft and the shaft for rotating the rotor;

(C) and means for shifting the collar axially to and from driving connection with the shafts.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the means (B) for shifting the collar includes:

(1) a cable having one end connected with the means,

(2) a lock connected with the other end of the cable,

(3) a removable key for turning the lock and the cable;

4- (D) and a hardened sheaf connected with the lock and the housing surrounding the cable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,726 7/1934 Vick et a1. 70-255 2,133,799 10/1938 Bickel 123 -14 65 LAURENCE M. GOODRIDGE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR RENDERING THE IGNITION SYSTEM OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INOPERATIVE, WITH IGNITION SYSTEM INCLUDES A DISTRIBUTOR HOUSING, A ROTOR WITHIN THE HOUSING, AND A VERTICALLY EXTENDING ENGINE DRIVE SHAFT FOR DRIVING THE ROTOR, SAID SHAFT HAVING A FLAT SURFACE ON THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, SAID FLAT SURFACE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY TO THE UPPER END THEREOF, THE DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A SHAFT FOR ROTATING SAID ROTOR, SAID SHAFT BEING SUPPORTED ON THE UPPER END OF THE ENGINE DRIVE SHAFT AND HAVING A FLAT SURFACE LIKE THAT ON THE ENGINE DRIVE SHAFT AND ALIGNED WITH THE FLAT SURFACE ON THE ENGINE DRIVE SHAFT; (B) A COLLAR SURROUNDING BOTH SHAFTS, SAID COLLAR HAVING AN INTERIOR FLAT SURFACE COMPLEMENTING THE FLAT SURFACES ON THE SHAFTS, SAID FLAT SURFACE ON THE COLLAR PROVIDING THE DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ENGINE DRIVE SHAFT AND THE SHAFT FOR ROTATING THE ROTOR; (C) AND MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE COLLAR AXIALLY TO AND FROM DRIVING CONNECTION WITH THE SHAFTS. 